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(No Model.)

WITNESSES D. RATHER, J1-., & s. RATHER.

SORGHUM EVAPORATOR.

Patented Feb. 17, 1885.

UNITED STATES DANIEL RATHER, JR, AND SAMUEL RATHER, OF HOLLY SPRINGS,MISS.

PATENT OFFICE.

SORGHUM-EVAPORATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,510, dated February17,1885.

Application tiled November 5, 1584. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, DANIEL RATHER, .Tr., and SAMUEL RATHER, citizens ofthe United States of America, residing at Holly Springs, in the countyof Marshall and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sorghum-Evaporators,of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention pertains to an improvement in sorghum evaporators or pansfor evaporating saccharine liquids; and it consists in the peculiarconstruction, combination, and arrangement of the parts, substantiallyas hereinalter more fully shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of our invention.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line .70 m. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view, and Fig. 4 is a detail view.

In constructing our sorghum-evaporator we interpose between twolongitudinal spacedapart troughs, A,a series of transverse troughs orpans, B, and rigidly secure together these troughs and pans by means ofthe transverse nutted bolts'G, the pans B being elevated above the planeof the bottom of the longi tudinal trough, as more clearly shown in Fig.2. The wooden troughs A are divided in several distinct apartments bythe transverse partitions a and b, the upper part of the metallicpartition a being provided with the apertures a, to admit passage of thefluid while excluding the scum which rises to the surface, and the upperpart of wooden partitions 1) extending upward to the same height as theapertures a. The wooden partitions b are' secured in position byordinary means, and the metallic partitions a are removably disposed inthe vertical slots 1). The wooden troughs A are shielded as againstexcessive heat by longitudinal metallic shield-strips A, which are bentat right angles and projected up against the metallic troughs B, asshown at a and between these metallic shield-strips and the woodentroughs A are interposed asbestus packing as additional means ofpreventing the longitudinal wooden troughs A from becoming overheated orcharred. The wooden troughs A, (see Fig. 1,) which consist of the twocorresponding vertical walls 0,

the bottom 0, securely and tightly attached thereto by ordinary means,and the intermediate end pieces, 0', are slotted at C for admission ofthe lateral open ends of the walls of the metallic pans or transversetroughs B. The lateral ends of the bottom of each trough B arerespectively provided with the rightangular clutch projections d,whichare driven down vertically into the bottom piece of the wooden troughs Apreliminary to securing to the wooden troughs the outer pieces, 0. Thecorresponding apertures d serve to admit the flow of the fluid at thebottom of the pan vB into the wooden troughs A. The walls 0 of pans B onthe left-hand side are higher than those on its right, excepting theouter wall, f, of the righthand pan,which is of corresponding altitudewith the walls of pan B on the right hand. The pipe D, designed foregress of the fluid, is provided with an ordinary stop-cock, and thefluid is supplied to the evaporator-pan at the opposite end thereof.Thus constructed, the scum, which floats upon the top of the pans orapartments, may be readily collected and removed, and the heavier partof the fluid be drawn off at intervals through the stop-cock. arewooden, their wooden bottoms being protected as against combustion by ametallic covering secured thereto and asbestus inserted between themetal and the wood, it follows that the juice in the central series ofpans obtains a greater temperature than that in the troughs, and thatthe cooling influence of the latter constantly tends to change itscharacter and consistency, and thus burning of the sorghum-juice in thecentral pans is prevented by the cooling influence of the juice in theside troughs.

\Ve are aware that it is not broadly new to construct asorghum-evaporator comprising a series of pans flanked by partitionedside troughs, the parts being held together by means of wooden sidepieces'secured by nutted iron rods; but the use of wooden troughs, the

met-hod of protecting them against combustion, and the peculiarconstruction of the pans shown comprise our improvements.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the pans B, having As the side troughsright-angular projections d, and the wooden tions (1, and nutted boltsC, substantially as troughs A, protected at bottom with asbestus shown,and for the purpose described.

and sheet metal, and the nutted bolts 0, sub- In testimony whereof weaffix our signatures stantially as shown, and for the purpose deinpresence of two Witnesses. 5 scribed.

2. The eombinationof the Wooden troughs I A, protected at bottom withasbestus and sheet metal and partitioned with removable WVitnesses:partitions a, having apertures a and parti- J. H. BENNETT, IO tions b,pans B, having right-angular projec- JAs. B. WATTHALL.

